Stupid stupid stupid

My heart stopped for a moment and I went cold all over as I read the email.

Fuck.

Fuck

The most dangerous number in business is one (1). Are you relying on just one customer? Stop it right now.

.

It was a message from my biggest client telling me he was restructuring his business and wanted to end our retainer. Apart from a few ad-hoc clients, he was it.

Quite some time ago now, I got a bloody big wake-up call in the form of the above email, and reminded me of something I’d forgotten:

The most dangerous number in business is one (1).

I’d gotten complacent.

And I’d come to rely on that one client.

Stupid. Stupid stupid stupid.

But do you know what? It wasn’t a bad thing, in the end, because it forced me to go out and find more clients. And it allowed me to work with some really interesting people.

And it allowed me to grow my business, rather than staying stuck in a one-client rut.

How vulnerable is your business? What would happen if your biggest customer left or got run over by a bus or something? Would you carry on pretty much as before? Or would it create a giant hole filled with panic?

I’ll tell you something, it’s much better to have a line of great people waiting in line to work with you. To have clients lined up for months, with interesting projects you can’t wait to get started on. That’s much better than facing a giant hole filled with panic.

So, be honest — is your business secure? Could it survive an upheaval?

If not, don’t you think it’s about time you plugged that hole?

Create a steady stream of ideal customers and clients coming into your business. And you don’t have to jump on the latest expensive shiny object bandwagon to do it. I’ve got a whole bunch of stuff up my sleeve for you that won’t cost you a penny.

Vicky Fraser is a copywriter, author, and entrepreneur. She really did run away with the circus… but when she’s not swinging from a trapeze, she’s showing other copywriters and small business owners how to work with better clients, make more money, and stop missing bathtimes, first words, and dinners with angry partners. In fact, she wrote the book on it. Get your copy here.

'Business for Superheroes' is a perfect introduction to giving yourself a plan of action for,
a) getting the clients you want for your business through adept marketing, and
b) building confidence in your own ability to be successful as a business owner.
In a massive (and sometimes quite daunting) tidal wave of possibilities, the advice and strategy on marketing in 'Business for Superheroes' really helped me clarify what I want for my business, and furthermore, how to get it. Give it a whirl: you won't regret it.